Northeastern alumna Wendy Williams is doing just fine these days.

You have been on radio, TV, film and authored books. Which gives you the biggest thrill?

TV. It’s the best, although radio was my first love.

You were certainly no stranger to controversy when you had the radio show. Do you think that might have been because you were the first African American host to push the envelope in terms of gossip?

Well, there were definitely elements of my rise in radio that had to do with my being black. But going back as far as Walter Winchell, Army Archerd and Hedda Hopper, legendary wags would grab a radio microphone and talk about what Errol Flynn and other stars were up to.

Have you had any guests who just weren’t very talkative? What do you do to try to get them to talk, and have there been any occasions where you couldn’t?

No. Believe it or not, there are interesting elements in everyone. So, if I can’t talk to everybody for at least 7 to 10 minutes, then I’m in the wrong profession.

Do you enjoy being a shock jockette and who are some of the celebrities you most enjoyed interviewing?

That’s so funny! I enjoyed being what I was in radio, which some thought of as a shock jock although, to this day, I still can’t figure out what I’ve done that’s so shocking. [Laughs] As to my favorite interviews, I loved having my mother and father on. I also enjoyed talking to Elmo, who’s a puppet. I found T.I.’s trying to be extra-cool very endearing. Tyra Banks was not the diva I expected her to be. I loved talking to her. And Simon Cowell is a really nice guy. Yeah! He’s my fave, and he’s handsome.

What achievement are you most proud of, and what mountain do you still want to conquer?

I’m most proud of our son, having suffered several miscarriages before having him. As for the next mountain, it takes so much to maintain what’s already going on that I don’t have time to think about it. But I want some more seasons of the TV show, I’d like to write another book, and eventually, I’d like to retire and take vacations with my husband like my mom and dad do.

What was involved in making the transition from radio, where you aren’t seen, to TV, where visibility is so important?

Lipstick, foundation, a strip of lashes and developing the ability to edit what I would normally say. I was always able to finish a thought on radio, because I had four hours. A one-hour TV show is only 44 minutes of programming.

What’s the real Wendy like, minus the wigs, makeup and “How you doin’?” Given that you had a breast endowment, do you recommend this cosmetic surgery?

The real Wendy is a plain, regular girl with good skin. I do have hair, if anyone is wondering about that. I have lots of witnesses to that. [Laughs] And I’m a homebody.